Sound of Pulling Heaven Down
by She'sGotHighHopes
Summary: A songfic by Jaime and Emerith. Ranger's thoughts on his happiest day.


_**All characters belong to Janet Evanovich**_

**The song is "Sound of Pulling Heaven Down" by Blue October. Check it out on youtube to get the feel of the story.**

**Sound of Pulling Heaven Down**

**By Jaime and Emerith**

I stepped out of the beach house and stood on the deck, stopping to catch my breath at the vision she made. Standing out on the beach, near the water's edge, was Steph, looking more beautiful than I could ever imagine a woman to be. The dress she wore was a simple plain white satin with spaghetti straps. The hem fell just below her knee and her feet were bare in the sand. Her hair was a wild mass of curls around her head, blowing in the breeze and I couldn't help but smile at the sight of her.

_**Somewhere, far away from here  
I saw stars, stars that I could reach (yeah)  
It was a midnight, a silent twilight  
Fell down, beyond the ocean beach (yeah)**_

_**I assemble all the sand that cover wedding beaches  
To build a castle so your mom would have a place to stay  
Behind the water slide and down the hill where heaven reaches  
Land and time is left to float away (yeah)**_

The beach was filled with people we loved; her family, my family, our friends and co-workers. All of us celebrating our wedding day. I still couldn't believe that we had done it. After all the years of both of us fearing the commitment, fearing the meaning behind it, fearing the failure of our previous marriages, we somehow managed to get past it all. And now that it was all said and done, I couldn't remember being happier. She was mine. I was hers. That is how it was supposed to be.

I watched as she laughed, dancing on the beach with Mary Lou. She looked so carefree. Like nothing in the world could possibly be enough to dampen that spirit of hers. That beautiful spirit that hit me like a freight train the second she walked into that diner all those years ago. It was what drew me to her. I had never seen anything like it, and all the years that I have been with her, nobody else has possessed that kind of light. Steph was one of a kind. And she was mine.

_**So rest assured I have the key to every opening  
To every wishing well that's deep enough to dream (dream)  
I want to show you just how fascinating kissing is  
When earth collides with all the space between (yeah)**_

_**I'm reaching farther than I ever have before  
Leaving all who broke your heart upon the shore  
I may be some sort of crazy  
We may be some sort of crazy  
But I swear on everything I have and more**_

It was crazy! If someone had told me just a few years ago that I would have been happily married to the Bombshell Bounty Hunter, I would have had them committed. It was too risky. I couldn't put her in danger like that. I wasn't a family kind of man. I wore two guns and a knife on me at all times. What kind of man would I be if I kept her in limbo for the rest of her life, when she could have been happy with someone who could give her the ring, give her the children, give her the happy home with a white picket fence. I would be a monster to keep her from that. She deserved all the happiness in the world. And at that time, I knew I couldn't give it to her. No matter how badly I wanted to.

I kept my eyes on her. I watched as Mary Alice galloped over to her, her little blue dress wet from the ocean and streaked with sand. Angie stood off to the side, prim and proper and nothing marring her own frilly pink dress. Valerie and Mrs. Plum looked disapprovingly at Mary Alice but Steph only laughed at the sight, picking her up and dancing with her, oblivious to the water and sand transferring onto her own dress. I smiled at that. Steph and Mary Alice were like two peas in a pod. They understood what was important in life, even when the people around them tried to change that. It's one of the things I love most about my wife.

_**So never look behind you, spooky people bring you down  
The world is ending there's a party by the bay  
I'll wear my suit and tie when I am  
I am toasting to the way you put that smile upon my face (yeah)**_

_**Fill up the air balloon and ride with me  
Yeah hell is jealous of the rain (rain)  
Make love like time and space Is ending  
While befriending fate's alluring way of putting us to shame**_

A shadow caught my attention in the distance. Even though he was far enough down the beach not to really be spotted, I knew it was Morelli.

I wasn't really worried about him. I knew he wouldn't make a scene. Steph had broken up with him for the last time almost a year ago, when he tried to change her once again. No matter what, he couldn't accept her for who she was, only for who he thought she could be. It broke her heart; they had been in each other's lives for so long.

They managed to remain friends and he had sucked it up and congratulated us when he found out about our engagement. We had invited him, but he respectfully declined. I never thought he would show up to begin with. It had to be hell to watch the woman he had loved for so long marry another man. I know I wouldn't have been able to handle it. But he knew he couldn't love her the way she needed to be loved. He seemed to understand that I was the man who was able to do that.

I watched him, as he watched her. She was still dancing with Mary Alice, both of them laughing as Steph spun her little niece in a circle, kicking up a little more water and sand onto their dresses. Valerie and Mrs. Plum grimaced at the sight, but thankfully, remained silent. They both knew I wouldn't stand for any of their negativity today. Not on our Wedding day. Today was our day. Steph's and mine. Anyone who didn't appreciate that or accept that, could leave.

_**I'm reaching farther than I ever have before  
Leaving all who broke your heart upon the shore  
I may be some sort of crazy  
We may be some sort of crazy  
But I swear on everything I have and more**_

_**You make the sound of pulling heaven down  
You brought the rain's romantic pour  
You make the sound  
You make the sound  
Of pulling heaven down**_

Morelli watched her for a few more minutes before his eyes met mine. His face was solemn, his eyes wet and I hoped that he would someday find a woman who made him as happy as I was. He was still Steph's friend and a damn good man. He deserved only good things. I knew that he would find them someday. He took another quick glance at Steph before meeting my eyes again. With a nod of his head, he turned in the opposite direction, walking slowly away from the party.

Nobody in our group seemed to notice his departure. I'm fairly certain they never noticed his arrival. Everyone's attention was on Steph and I couldn't blame them. She was the center of attention wherever she went. Of course, it was unintentional; I don't even think she noticed it. She just laughed and smiled and danced as people came up to congratulate her, to dance with her, to be near her, to share in her light. She radiated joy. It was infectious and nobody could resist her pull. I was beyond grateful that she was in my life. For the first time in my life, I knew my future would be good. Better than good. I had never known true happiness before her. And now, I was sure that I would only know that feeling.

_**I'm reaching farther than I ever have before  
(Tired of wasting time)  
Leaving all who broke your heart upon the shore  
(tired of wasting time)  
I may be some sort of crazy  
We may be some sort of crazy  
But I swear on everything I have and more  
(go go go go)**_

_**I'm reaching farther than I ever have before  
(Tired of wasting time)  
Leaving all who broke your heart upon the shore  
(Tired of wasting time)  
I may be some sort of crazy  
We may be some sort of crazy  
But I swear on everything I have and more  
(go go go go)**_

Steph stopped laughing suddenly and turned to face me. I don't know how she does it, but she told me once that she can feel me when I'm near. I suppose it's the same feeling I get when she's around. Our eyes met and the most beautiful smile lit up her face. I felt a lightness in me that I've never known before and I smiled back.

Heaven on Earth. Yeah, that sounded about right


End file.
